Since 1997, the emphasis of the NCCP has been on developing competent coaches – an exciting step towards helping them to become more effective and have a more meaningful impact on an athlete’s development and experience.

Football Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development Model is the basis for its NCCP, because it places the participant/athlete first and the coach is at the centre of the athlete’s develop.

The NCCP has undergone a number of changes in recent years. In response to an extensive evaluation, the Coaching Association of Canada has adapted the NCCP to fit today’s coaching environment. The Football Canada’s NCCP is being designed and will be implemented to develop the coach’s knowledge, skills and attitudes (behaviour) appropriate to his or her athletes’ stage of development.

Among these important changes in the “New” NCCP is the shift in emphasis from “what a coach knows” to “what a coach can do”. This transformation to a competency/outcomes based approach is a key factor in the re-development of the program.

 

THE NEW NCCP MODEL (COMPETENCY-BASED MODEL)

The new NCCP is made up of three streams and a total of eight contexts, each with its own coaching requirements. Football Canada has decided that all eight contexts are relevant to the development of football and essential to the meeting the “Football for Life - through Long Term Athlete Development” goals of Enhanced Excellence and Enhanced Participation. The Three Streams of the NCCP are:

 

Stream 1 – Community Sport

The Community Sport Stream has a decidedly recreation focus. In the “Initiation” context the development of fundamental movement and Fundamental Football Skills are essential where fun, fitness, and participation are the focus at the younger ages. In the “On-going” context

fun, fitness, and participation are key elements and in many cases competitive recreation is the focus.

Coaches in the Community Sport – Initiation Context typically become involved on a voluntary (and often short-term) basis because their children participate in a sport. However, many coaches work with participants of all ages who are new to the sport.

 

Stream 2 – Competition

The Competition Stream has three (3) contexts – Introduction to Competition, Competition Development, & High Performance. The focus of athlete development in these contexts is Excellence”.

The coaches in these contexts tend to work with athletes over the long term to improve performance, often in preparation for provincial, national, and international competitions.

Additionally, Coaches in the “Competition” stream usually have previous coaching experience or are former athletes in the sport.

 

Stream 3 – Instruction

The focus of the Instruction Stream is “supporting the athlete in training” through the sport specific skill development. Coaches in the Instructor Stream must have sport-specific skills and training, whether coaching at the beginner or advanced skill levels. Many of the coaches in the Instructor Stream are former participants in the sport.